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As our utility member needs grow, our communications co-op has grown, too. Since we love building a community of utility communicators, we asked some of our staff to share their stories with you. Our next story comes from Account Manager Anne Cook, a visual storytelling advocate on our member solutions team.
Sometimes as storytellers, a fresh start helps us craft the perfect narrative.
When I was a little girl, there were days I’d get in my mom’s red Chevy with her and take lunch to my dad on the field. He was a lineworker for Pacific Telephone in California. I remember sitting at random curbs, watching him work on telephone lines. He’d smile and wave at us the entire time his lift lowered from his bucket truck.
Sometimes at dinner he told us stories about what happened in the field that fueled my imagination. He was a quiet hero, rescuing kids from dog attacks and women from attackers. Really, my dad had to call the police on more than one occasion because of things he saw, sometimes stepping in if the police couldn’t get there in time.
My dad’s stories fueled my imagination and love of writing. How would people know the stories of quiet heroes like my dad? I started writing his stories and making up my own.
I wrote for the paper through high school and, as I got older, worked toward publishing my stories. When the Wild West of platforms on the internet opened up, I did, too. I wrote, told, marketed and sold stories online. Blogs, podcasts, online newsletters, concept development, logo designs — you name it, I did it. It was a fun hobby.
All the while I worked full time in human resources, sales and marketing jobs. It would take a life-altering moment to trigger a military career change and eventually bring me to Pioneer Utility Resources to tell your stories.
Military Career Reboot
Circumstances in my marriage were changing, and I was desperate to start over. So, at 39 years old, standing in a small room next to a flag with my husband and my 4- and 9-year-old daughters by my side when I held my hand up, swore faith and allegiance to the United States and shipped off to boot camp.
I left boot camp for my first assignment to a Signal Battalion. Our captain knew I was a writer, so he sent me out to write an article during a two-week annual training course at Camp Blanding. I wrote “Sending Out Signals,” my first article published for the military. That and a story I’d had published in a military anthology prompted me to change units. I joined the Military Public Affairs Detachment, or MPAD, in 2012 and am still there today.
Becoming a member of the MPAD was difficult. I had to pass a voice test and be accepted to the Defense Information School, DINFOS. There, you got to join the ranks of notable alumni. Including Al Gore, who was a print journalist during the Vietnam War, Dan Quayle and “Wheel of Fortune”’s Pat Sajak.
This is different from college. Think of it as a multimedia boot camp. Your day starts at 4:40 a.m., rolling out in a gym uniform and standing in formation for Army Combat Fitness. We call ourselves “the Executioners.” Every morning before breaking fitness formation, we’d shout, “victory or death!” Groups of soldiers, Marines and Navy personnel marched together in unison, sounding off cadences on their way to class.
Soldiering felt like the easy part. Being a student was the real challenge. With each new assignment, anxiety increased. The training tempo was fast. The school was set up much like a reality show. Rather than racing to bake the best cake or design the best costume, we hustled to meet deadlines for media projects. And, much like TV, you would get kicked out if you didn’t pass.
Every week, we added to our media skill stack. Our training for each type of media was all-encompassing. For example, we learned:
- Concept development
- Scriptwriting
- Audio recording
- Editing for radio spots
We had to turn polished work with professional-grade intros, outros and music beds.
Picture this:
You show up at 8 a.m. There’s a paper on your desk with a scenario. Now, come up with a concept — quickly — and get your teacher’s approval for the idea.
The clock is ticking.
Once approved — concepts took some of us forever — run and grab every resource available to create and turn in a professional, polished product by the end of the school day. If you don’t get a passing grade, you might go home.
Oh, and the students view the products and critique each other.
Some favorite moments were an interview with mixed martial arts champion Rich Franklin, producing a video of Maj. Gen. John Kelly’s speech at the Navy Ball, and taking photos alongside acclaimed American photographer James Nachtwey.
I learned from CBS News team correspondent and anchor Catherine Herridge who told me that in order to get the best answers during an interview, use only eight words in every question. The most direct, best questions get the best responses.
My Story Comes Home
Life has come full circle for me at Pioneer Utility Resources. From my early days watching my dad work on power lines to my journey through the world of telling stories through multimedia marketing, there’s a nostalgic comfort in realizing that, just like my dad used to connect communities through power lines, I’m making connections by working for Pioneer.
I can take all the experience I’ve gained in every aspect of my life and use it to help marketing professionals get their messages out and portray their stories in the most meaningful way possible.
I’m honored to be part of a fantastic team of account managers who help our clients and members connect with their communities. It’s more than a job, it’s a calling that ties into my roots.
At Pioneer, I’m not just an employee but part of a family committed to keeping connections alive and well. And that, to me, feels like exactly where I’m meant to be.
Anne’s experience is one of many staff stories from across our communications co-op. Want to join our team of utility storytellers? Our co-op is growing. Check our careers page and set an alert for future job posts.